Horseracing

To commemorate its long-standing support for the British Armed Forces, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has been awarded the Gold Award by the UK Government.  The award is given to employers with a demonstrated “exceptional commitment” to those who serve and have served, such as veterans and reservists, as well as their families. As part of its support for the …

Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has announced that it has created “the ChatGPT version of horseracing”. Introduced by Executive Director of Racing Andrew Harding, the release gives fans access to a “digitally immersive” customer experience. During the Asian Racing Conference in Sapporo, Harding commented: “Fan engagement is no mere buzzword, it will determine our future.” Dennis Hau, the club’s Executive …

Spotlight Sports Group (SSG) has launched its Digital Betting Shop Displays in the on-course William Hill shop at the York racecourse.  The new SSG dynamic displays will be fed proprietary data from the Racing Post, together with content, full form and tipping from the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Hong Kong, UAE, United States and France.  Alan Pepperell, SSG B2B Retail …

Neil Hayward is stepping down as Chair of the Horseracing Industry People Board (HIPB). After spending almost two years in the position, Haywood will exit the role with the workforce strategy in a ‘well advanced’ position with completion planned before the end of 2024. HIPB also emphasised that there is a high-calibre Board of industry and subject-matter experts appointed to …

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has launched a Code of Conduct for British racing which concerns sponsorship agreements with gambling companies.  Supported by the Racecourse Association (RCA), the new Code fulfils a policy proposal for all sports set out in the Government’s 2023 Gambling White Paper and aims to show the sport’s commitment to ensuring all gambling activity is undertaken …

Flutter’s UK and Ireland divisions will sponsor a new docuseries about the world of jump jockeys.  Called ‘Champions: Full Gallop’, the series premieres tonight, 19 July, on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm primetime.  Spanning across six parts, the production will offer viewers a glimpse into the sport’s biggest legends, gaining access to the major players, high rollers, and key protagonists.  …

SIS (Sports Information Services) has signed a new deal to add races from Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid Racecourse to its horse racing roster.  Held in the city of Ta’if, the new season starts 4 July and goes on until 28 September. The racing calendar includes events taking place on Thursdays, Friday, and Saturdays.  Ta’if itself is located 1,800m above sea …

Pythia Sports, experts in data modelling for horseracing, have launched an innovative ‘bloodstock advisory service’ for stakeholders looking to buy and sell bloodstock. Founded in 2014, Pythia gathers acute horseracing data across multiple levels of the sport globally to help build sophisticated modelling solutions for clients. For sports betting customers, Pythia’s predictive models are recognised amongst the best for risk …

Spotlight Sports Group (SSG) has put pen to paper to expand its partnership currently in place with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).  Powered by the Racing Post, the deal will place more international eyes on the Hong Kong racing scene through the provision of full racecards for the HKJC meetings at Sha Tin and Happy Valley – to be …

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced that Julie Harrington will end her tenure as CEO of UK racing’s governing body at the end of the year. Harrington will complete four years as Chief Executive of the BHA, during which she led the organisation through regulatory transitions and significant changes to its operations and stakeholder relationships. As the former Chief …